H.M.S. ‘Acasta’ was an A-Class Destroyer built for the Royal Navy by John Brown & Company, Clydebank. Laid down: 13th August 1928. Launched: 8th August 1929. Commissioned: 11th February 1930. On the 9th June 1940, carrying troops and equipment H.M.S. ‘Acasta’ (Commander Charles Eric Glasfurd R.N.) was escorting the aircraft carrier H.M.S. ‘Glorious’ along side her sister ship H.M.S. ‘Ardent’ in Operation Alphabet (the evacuation of Allied forces from Norway). H.M.S. ‘Glorious’ had no lookouts posted and no aircraft on patrol she was surprised by battleships Scharnhorst and Greisenau. H.M.S. ‘Acasta’ and H.M.S. ‘Ardent’ attempted to lay a smoke screen. H.M.S. ‘Glorious’ was soon overcome and was sunk. The same fate then happened to H.M.S. ‘Ardent’. H.M.S. ‘Acasta’ attacked with torpedoes, and hit the engine room of Scharnhorst in a last attack before she sank, blazing beneath the waves at 18.20hrs. The damaged caused by H.M.S. ‘Acasta’ torpedoes to Scharnhorst caused the enemy ships to abandon their sortie to the north and return to port. The Germans didn’t wait to pick up any survivors. 1531 Officers and men lost their lives. There was 1 survivor – Leading Seaman Nick Carter.